Forced to marry Lord Aymon to ensure her young nephew’s survival, English Lady Laila vows undying hatred for the Norman she holds responsible for the deaths of so many innocents. Discovering Aymon has committed an act of treason gives her the chance to seek vengeance he deserves. But can Laila let Aymon die at the hands of the king once she learns the truth?

A hardened Norman warrior, Lord Aymon has lived through atrocities no man ever should. With the invasion of England over, all he wants is a quiet life and a wife who will give him heirs and obey his every command. Instead, he finds himself wed to feisty and outspoken Laila. But when she learns the truth of his treasonous act, can Aymon count on her to keep his secret?

Review: Thank goodness there are still authors out there writing within the Medieval time period. There are not enough of these being released in my opinion, so of course I am happy to have found this one.

Set during the Norman conquest, the English Lady Laila marries Norman Lord Aymon out of necessity. It is for the safety of her nephew, Drake, an infant whose mother dies in childbirth, that Lady Laila makes this sacrifice. She intends to appease Lord Aymon only for this reason, but she has a very hard time being subservient to him.

Thankfully, Lord Aymon, no matter what war atrocities he may have committed, is not cruel to his wife or the infant. In fact, Lady Laila will soon come to realize the man she married is actually noble, a humanitarian, but also treasonous. Once his secret is out, all their lives are in grave danger.

I didn’t like Lord Aymon at first with all his “I’m your Lord and Master” stuff. But, he was more bark than bite. His background is sad as he carries a great amount of guilt on his shoulders for mistakes he made in the past. He is actually a good guy and I grew to like him along with Laila.

Laila is a strong woman who fights for justice and for her family and the man she loves with bravery and fortitude. She’s sassy, and defiant, but loyal to a fault and a true lady.

The author does a great job of sticking to the trademarks of Medieval romance. The set up is quite familiar with an English lady having to marry a Norman after he seizes her lands. The commonality of rape is mentioned and there is a situation where a character in the book must deal with this reality, however, it is not graphic. There is a slight paranormal tint to the story as well, another common occurrence in medieval novels, but, what sets this one apart is the treasonous acts of Lord Aymon and a little secret about his family.

There were some modern phrases that popped up here and there, but I am more likely to forgive this in medieval than in any other historical era, because to make the language too authentic would perhaps take the modern reader out of the story. Other than that one nick picky complaint, I thought the author did an admirable job depicting medieval customs and superstitions, the epic battles, the cruelty of war, and still managed to pull off a tender love story in the midst of so much strife and danger.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I think all lovers of historical romance will enjoy it.

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